Oil smart: Now, everyone wants a CNG car

TNN|

Jun 07, 2008, 04.27 PM IST

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NEW DELHI: The recent increase in fuel prices has led to an unprecedented spurt in demand for CNG conversion kits. Manufacturers and retailers in the city say that in the last two days ��� after the hike in petrol and diesel prices was announced ��� the number of car owners switching to CNG has doubled.

The rise in demand is understandable: while petrol and diesel rates are rising, CNG prices actually dipped last month. ������Since the latest petrol price increase, the demand has hit the roof. I am being harassed with calls from people inquiring about CNG conversion kits. My phone just doesn���t stop ringing,������ said Ankit Jain, director of Power Fuels India Pvt Ltd, which fits CNG kits.

Added Mukesh Garg, proprietor of Badarpur-based Eco Gas: ������The inquiries for kits have doubled. We are now fitting about 10 kits daily as against just 5 earlier. Still we are not being able to meet the demand because of lack of infrastructure. And, there���s a lot of scope for the demand to grow further. While about 30,000 new cars hit city roads each month, there are just about 4,500 conversions to CNG being done in Delhi.������

CNG prices dropped last month from Rs 19.20 a kg to Rs 18.90. In addition to bringing down the running cost of the vehicle by almost 75%, CNG also has the added advantage of being a green fuel.

But a major impediment to conversion to CNG is the long queues at filling stations. Is the city then really ready for CNG? ������ There is a 15-minute wait at CNG pumps making it inconvenient for those using natural gas as a regular fuel. Though the demand for conversion kits has increased after the petrol price increase, it will go up further if the government manages to sort out the mess at the supply end,������ said R K Verma, director of Matex Auto Gas company, which fits CNG kits in Okhla.